Surakarta anniversary: Reflection of solidarity in diversity

Mon, March 5, 2018 / 07:13 am

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Dancers perform the Adeging Kutha Sala (the establishment of Surakarta) colossal dance during the city’s 273rd anniversary. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Gamelan musicians play their instruments to accompany the dance. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Surakartans enthusiastically wait for the parade to pass. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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A female dancer is groomed by hairstylists. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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A dancer dressed in a Hanoman costume (left, below) performs accompanied by colleagues dressed as beasts. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Civil servants wearing traditional Javanese attire carry 17 bowls of jenang (sticky rice porridge). [JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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A scene of the Adeging Kutha Sala (the establishment of Surakarta) colossal dance. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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An elderly lady crouches on the asphalt to watch the performance. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Parade participants pull the Ratha Yatra Sri Jagadnatha carriage. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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Parade participants wear Punokawan costumes. Punokawan is a quartet of clown servants of the hero in Javanese wayang (puppet) taken from the Mahabharata epic. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan
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A man carries a female dancer who fainted while performing. JP/Maksum Nur Fauzan

Maksum Nur Fauzan

Surakarta celebrated its 273rd anniversary on Feb. 17, by holding numerous events, such as a visit to the heroes cemetery, the Jenang (sticky rice porridge) Festival, the Kirab Boyong Kedhaton (Palace Migration Parade) and the Adeging Kutha Sala (establishment of Surakarta) colossal dance.

The celebration kicked off with a visit to the heroes cemetery to pay respects to local heroes, especially Ki Ageng Enis, who laid the foundation of the Mataram kingdom. The Surakarta administration then distributed free jenang at Fort Vastenburg in the downtown area.

The parade, which was the highlight of the event, took place along Jl. Slamet Riyadi and Jl. Sudirman. The theme of the parade was “solidarity in diversity”, which was reflected in the colossal dance. A total of 205 dancers participated and came from different elements in society. The dance depicted the establishment of Surakarta during the reign of Paku Buwono II.

The parade also involved 750 people from, among others, the bicycle community and the Soeryo Soemirat Javanese dance troupe. It also included a Sriwedari Javanese theatrical dance performance.

The annual festivity has become a source of entertainment for Surakartans and for people from the surrounding areas. [yan]